The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pulled the plug on a federal loan it provided to Fisker Automotive, forcing the automaker to stop work on a Delaware factory.

California-based Fisker Automotive, known for the $102,000 Karma plug-in and the Nina midsize sedan, received a total of $529 million in loans from DOE in April 2010. The loans were part of a program to progress development of high-tech vehicles, where Fisker received $169 million for Karma engineering and $359 million for Nina production. The loans were also meant to revamp a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Delaware for Fisker auto production. So far, Fisker has drawn down $193 million from its loans.

Fisker has been behind schedule on selling its first auto here in the U.S., and in May 2011, DOE blocked the loans previously provided to the automaker due to "unmet milestones." According to Damien LaVera, DOE only allows Fisker to use the loan if the auto company upholds its end of the deal and shows results. However, Fisker has been a little behind.

The lack of access to loans has affected work on the Delaware factory. In fact, work on the auto factory has now been halted, and 26 people were laid off.

"It's been frustrating that Fisker and the Department of Energy weren't able to come to terms on the revisions to the loan in time to avoid this," said Brian Selander, a spokesman for Delaware Governor Jack Markell. "I'd say the project is on hold while the two sides try to get things sorted out."

DOE seems to be a bit more cautious of who it provides its financial offerings to after the series of alternative energy failures through 2011 and 2012. In September 2011, Silicon Valley-based solar panel company Solyndra filed for bankruptcy after receiving a $535 million loan from DOE in 2009. Government officials reportedly warned the administration about Solyndra's viability back at that time, but these warnings were set aside to meet political deadlines.

In November 2011, Beacon Power, a company that creates flywheels to store power and increase grid efficiency by preventing blackouts, filed for bankruptcy after receiving a $43 million loan guarantee from DOE in August 2010.

Just last month, auto electric battery maker Ener1, whose EnerDel subsidiary received a $118.5 million DOE grant in August 2009, filed for bankruptcy.

Electric vehicles haven't had a great year, either. Last year, General Motors' Chevrolet Volt was heavily criticized after three Volts sparked or caught fire in a series of side-impact crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Fisker had some battery issues of its own as well back in December 2011, where over 200 Karma's were recalled.

In the above situation, is the Volt a bad bargin? Yes. But then I am assuming the government is swapping the Volt in for a bargin basement Fusion (A very popular government fleet car) and I am getting a negative balance of only ~3,500. This would be easily overturned if the Government was paying itself the 7,500 credit, or if GM sold a special fleet package to US gov or the Volt is being used only when GPS is a requirement. In truth the Federal Government buys a wide assortment of fleet cars, and recent Fusion/Focus buys are some of the best in terms of MPG and overall TCO.

In conclusion, the Volt is likely a poor investment for the Federal Government, especially considering that the initial purchase difference will incur interest. But there are fleet cars that the government currently owns and uses that it would make sense to replace with a Volt (or other expensive hybrid). Do I trust the government to do so... probably not. But thats a very different set of assumptions than what you're using, which appear to me to be influenced more by right-wing rhetoric than by an actual mathematical analysis.

quote: But thats a very different set of assumptions than what you're using, which appear to me to be influenced more by right-wing rhetoric than by an actual mathematical analysis.

So I'm right when you engage the brain and look at some numbers, which consumers have done as well and why they realize the Volt is a poor choice. But, I'm wrong, because you get the sense I have conservative views. Troll. I wasn't aware desiring economic efficiency from government was necessarily conservative, either, but I guess these days it is.

Obviously there's an exception to everything and likely a few specific cases where a small number of Volts are more effective. But is that the general case? Doubtful. Seems to me like a bargain on a Ford Fiesta or some similar A-to-B people mover would be the best bet. Thanks though for agreeing with what the free market has already told us (that the Volt doesn't make economic sense), even if it pained you.

quote: Seems to me like a bargain on a Ford Fiesta or some similar A-to-B people mover would be the best bet.

Too bad the government doesn't really buy A/B market cars.

To asses whether the Volt was a good purchase or not for the Government, we need to consider the economic cost to the Government versus it's next most likely action, not your perceived best value to the Government.

I don't know where the Volt's have been deployed. But its well within the realm of possibility the Volt's are correctly deployed and the overall exercise was positive for the Government compared to the choices it would have made sans Volt. Or perhaps we should also express the same rage at Ford? The Government after all buys Fusion Hybrids and Escape Hybrids that make less economic sense than the Volt.

quote: So I'm right when you engage the brain and look at some numbers, which consumers have done as well and why they realize the Volt is a poor choice. But, I'm wrong, because you get the sense I have conservative views. Troll.

Pretty much. He's very eloquent, but he seems to be arguing against the Conservatives here, even when he's agreeing with the message. By definition, that's trollish behavior.

Possibly, but Keeir strikes me as someone that isn't a conservative nor liberal OR maybe a bit of both. That would be a good description of me. I am a registered independent that votes republican mostly BUT there are issues that I'm liberal on. I like to be open to other ideas and ways to do things. I will say that I don't support anything that removes freedoms and rights even if that means we all "burn in hell" so to speak.